SCOTLAND START CAN HELP LIFT MY WOE IN WARSAW

KIERON BOWIE hopes jumping on the World Cup trail with Scotland this week will help ease the pain of Hibs’ Euro journey reaching a brutal end.

- BY FRASER WILSON

The big striker was desperate to follow his international call-up by taking another huge step on the continent in Warsaw on Thursday night.

But Bowie and his Hibee teammates stumbled in the final few yards against Legia as they stood on the precipice of history and a place in the Conference League groups.

Juergen Elitim took the feet from under David Gray's men as he levelled the tie in the 93rd minute to force extra-time before Mileta Rajovic delivered a 98th-minute hammer blow to send the Easter Road club stumbling out.

Even then Bowie looked to have forced penalties with a 119th-minute header that Kacper Tobiasz somehow managed to claw to safety.

Gray must now lift his leg-weary troops for a battle with St Mirren at Easter Road this afternoon ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.